The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-01-29
WHITMAN IN DURANGO.
How Quaint Verdict Cleared the Author
of "Blades OF Grass

''Blades of Grass" lived with his father
in Babylon. The old gentleman occu-
pied the Minturn place, west of the vii
lage about mile and II half. 1t was in
1S40. The budding poet, then eighteen
years of age had just returned home
after his venture in journalism in Hunt
ington. His success had not been
marked; in fact, it is questioned
whether 1t should not be put down as
miserable failure.
Walt Whitman, as described by the
old ladies of the village, was a hand
gone youth. full of life, pert in his
manner and brisk in his walk. He
was broad-shouldered and muscu-
lar, always walking erect. with a
sailor swing of easy independence.
His dress suggested "watcr dog"
His collar was cut low and his shirt
front was usually rolled back, exposing
his robust breast. A short sailor jacket
and wide trousers contributed an air of
saltwater, and suggested u jolly ma
1ino out for an airing. Captain Simon
Cooper is reported as saying: II can
smell salt water ten miles away just on
seeing Whitman"
He was popular favorite among
both sexes in the village, and many
jolly yarns are told of those days which,
no doubt, the now aged and suffering
| poet can recall with pleasure.
One of the stories called to mind is
the arrest of the poet for an assault
upon u young man named Benjamin
Carman. The Carman farm joined the
farm occupied by the Whitmans. A
trout pond formed the boundary. In
this pond Walt delighted to fish. On a
certain day while Whitman was sitting
in his boat angling, young Carman con-
ceived the idea of annoying
him. He first threw stones so as
to disturb the water near the
fisherman. Seeing no effect upon
the stolid fisherman, he got in his
own boat and commenced leisurely
rowing around in the vicinity of the
poet, to the total destruction of fishing.
Even this annoyance failed to call forth
any reproof or remonstrance, and Whit
man fished on as though nothing was
annoying him. At first the lad was
careful to keep beyond the reach of the
fishing-pole, but finally, his suspicious
being quieted by the manner of the fish
erman, who in a casual sort of way
piled him with various questions, ask
ing if he were not q namesake of Benja-
min Franklin, and engaging him in
cheerful conversation, the boy edged
nearer and nearer, until, coming within
the swing of Whitman's fish-pole, the
poet caught him unawares and thrashed
him numerically. breaking his pole
and inilicting quite severe injuries upon
the boy, dismissing him with the ad-
monition that the next time he refrain
from interfering with his fishing.
But this was not destined to be the
last of the matter. The elder Carman,
in rage at the castigation of his son,
swore out warrant for Whitman's az
rest before Justice Joel Jarvis, of Hunt
ington. In those days Babylon was u
land of 'rum and romance" and many
quaint characters clustered about the
village. The news of the important ar
rest travelled like wild fire, and when
the constable produced his prisoner be-
fore the magistrate the little 7-by-9
courtroom was crowded. General
Richard Udall, afterward member of the
Assembly from Suffolk, appeared as
attorney for Carman, while Whitman
pleaded his own case. The jury was
made up of men who thought more of
common sense than of law. The fore
man was John Edwards, an English
man, full of stubborn persist
ence, prepared to insist upon having
his own way. The progress of the
trial was not devoid of interest; in
fact, for years the case of 1.-The People
Against Walt. Whitman w&s one of
the most celebrated on the "meSry old
south side" General Udall made Il
clear case. The evidence was not dis
puted. Whitman, when he summed up
his defense, told the jury the facts in
the case He admitted he had trounced
the boy, but plead in justification that
Carman had interfered with his vested
rights and had made himself nui-
sance, and the nuisance had simply
been abated. The jury filed out. They
were out but few moments and re-
turned into court.
The justice resettled his steel-bowed
spectacles so that he could more readi-
ly look over them and asked: Gentle
men of the jury, have you agreed upon
your verdictP"
"We ave-" said Edwards.
'What is itp" asked his Honor.
1--WE find e did not it i'm ard
enough" said the foreman.
The uproarious laughter which greet
ed this verdict the justice could not
quell, and in his righteous indig-
nation broke his spectacles in his
endeavor to sufficiently express his dis
approval. When quiet was restored he
explained to the jury that they must
find verdict of guilty or mot
guilty" when the spectators were again
convulsed by the answer of the sturdy
Yorkshire gentleman, who stubbornly
insisted that the only verdict of the
jury was that whitman ad not 1T i'm
ard enough" and after repeated at
tempts to get matters right, the prison.
er was discharged, and the verdict
stands to-day that "the plaintiff was
not hit hard enough
Whitman's father was coarse, large
boned, very tall and powerful man.